http://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2019/09/12/crossword-magic-1985/
Today you can find any number of online apps that will let you generate your own crossword puzzles so it doesn't seem like that big of a deal. However, if you wanted to do such a thing in the 1980s you would have had to do it by hand or use a piece of software like this which made it a whole lot easier.
I remember using a crossword puzzle maker in English class when I was in 8th grade (1988 or 1989) but I can't remember for sure if it was this one or not. It would have been on an Apple II.
Anyway, it does all the basic things you would expect to be able to do to make a crossword puzzle. I suppose there is probably a limit in terms of size but unless you are trying to do something crazy it's probably not a big deal.
Crossword Magic was released by Mindscape and was available for the Commodore 64, Apple II, DOS and Atari 8-bit computers like the 600XL and 800XL. Other than nostalgia, there's probably not much reason to seek this out today as there are more convenient ways to generate crossword puzzles. However, this was a neat tool to have back in the day if you wanted to do such a thing.
The ad above is from circa 1985.
Check out some of my other recent retrogaming and retrocomputing posts!
EGM 2 (August 1994)
https://steemit.com/retrogaming/@darth-azrael/egm2-august-1994-1568312512697
Commodore Magazine (January 1989)
https://steemit.com/retrocomputing/@darth-azrael/commodoremagazine-january-1989-1568226999729
Deluxe Paint I (Amiga)
https://steemit.com/retrocomputing/@darth-azrael/deluxepaint-i-amiga-1568216269252
Video Games Player (August/September 1983)
https://steemit.com/retrogaming/@darth-azrael/videogames-player-augustseptember-1983-1568150259496
Commodore: The MicroComputer Magazine – Issue Number 27 (1983)
https://steemit.com/retrocomputing/@darth-azrael/commodore-the-microcomputer-magazine-issue-number-27-1983-1568122198975
Out of this World
https://steemit.com/retrogaming/@darth-azrael/outof-this-world-1568064516250